


Star Through the Storm

by JonnyToast



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-12-19 04:36:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11890155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JonnyToast/pseuds/JonnyToast
Summary: This is a work in progressThe first chapter of a story I'm working onAny constructive criticism is appreciated and, hopefully, will help me move to the next chapter





	Star Through the Storm

Chapter One  
Coming of Low Pressure  
Matt Grayson sat on the cold, concrete ground leaning against the metal wall of the soundstage, tapping his fingers on his thighs to the beat of his iPod as he waited patiently for his brother, Zach, to finish whatever meeting he had to do. Matt knew there was a music video being shot on the soundstage and the actress starring in the video belonged to the talent agency his brother worked for but he didn’t know whose video was being shot nor did he actually care. Matt was meant to be sitting on one of Los Angeles’ many beaches with his brother and cousins, enjoying the early summer sun. Instead, his brother had to attend what was supposed to be a thirty-minute meeting for the record company. That was three hours ago. Matt had started by sitting in his brother’s car but then found himself on the concrete in the soundstage so he wouldn't be bored. Luckily, he had developed latest album from his favorite band, Severed Silver, on his iPod and he had listened to it twice that morning.  
After feeling as if he had waited long enough, and the groans of his stomach getting to be too much to bear any longer, he pushed himself off of the floor to quietly slip over to the craft service table. Thankfully, at the moment, everyone was distracted by someone throwing a temper tantrum so, hopefully, nobody would notice the insignificant person making a sandwich.  
Three plastic knives later, peanut butter was spread out on two halves of a plain bagel and he was searching for a meat tray, praying that it contained baloney. Finding the processed meat with a smile, he took a stack of the quartered baloney and began placing them on the peanut butter. Satisfied his sandwich was as good as it could get, he squished it together and took a bite, savoring the odd flavors. When he looked up, his body froze as he stared into someone else’s eyes.  
She was wearing a thick, white robe with wet blueish-green hair lying on her shoulders. Two smoky, blue diamonds, glowing like fireworks, were looking at him with a beautiful half smile on her lips. She was holding a bagel wrapped in a napkin and her lips began to move. Matt couldn’t hear her, he just stared in a daze of awe and panic. He saw her giggle then use her fingers to simulate taking the earbuds out of his ears. Matt quickly got the hint and pulled them out by the main cord as he quickly finished the bite in his mouth and tried to think of something clever to say as to why he was there.  
“Hi,” she said with a sweet voice.  
“Uhm… Hi,” was all Matt could get out.  
“I thought I was the only person who ate peanut butter and baloney,” she said, raising her bagel to show the same strange sandwich as Matt.  
He didn’t respond to her, still afraid of what could happen.  
“I’m Kelsey.”  
Matt wasn’t sure if he should respond, he couldn’t risk getting his brother into trouble. But this girl was beautiful and looked so familiar, like the lead singer of a band he should have known but couldn’t place. Or maybe she had been in a movie he couldn’t recall. Talking to her sent a strange twinge up his spine, as if there was something more he should have known about her besides the faulty memory.  
“You don’t have a name?” she asked, playfully.  
“I’m, um… I’m sorry,” he stuttered. “That guy over there looks really important and extremely pissed off. I’m here with my brother, and I don’t think I’m actually allowed to be here so I don’t want to get him in trouble.”  
Kelsey’s smile grew bigger and the twinge hit him harder.  
“Yeah, he's the director, and he’s got some serious anger management issues,” Kelsey replied as she looked over at the man screaming at the actor he had chosen to be in the video. “But you’re safe, I promise.”  
The twinge was getting stronger now, making him rub the base of his skull. The faulty memory slowly started to clear up and Kelsey wasn’t the lead singer of the band he was thinking of. That girl had dyed-red hair. Was Kelsey the love interest in one of the romantic comedies he had been forced to watch with his ex-girlfriend?  
“Matt.”  
The twinge began rattling up and down his spine. Maybe it was the singer for the band he couldn’t think of, hair color can change. Wasn’t that girl’s name Kelsey Wilson or something?  
“What are you listening to?” Kelsey asked.  
“The new Severed Silver album.”  
Kelsey laughed. “I just got that yesterday but haven’t had a chance to listen to it. Obviously, I’ve heard Chains but not the rest of the album. How is it?”  
Matt wondered why it was obvious that she had heard Chains, it hadn’t been released as a single but he pushed the thought aside to answer Kelsey’s question. “It’s really good, though not as good as Broken Stone. But I don’t think anyone’s follow-up albums are as good as their first.”  
“I know a couple people that would disagree with you but you’re right, Broken Stone is their best album. And their best song.”  
Matt began looking her up and down as the twinge started to branch out to his joints, trying not to look as though he was checking her out. It was bothering him that he couldn’t remember who she was. The way the twinge was getting stronger made him think this wasn’t the lead singer after all. Her name sounded similar to Kelsey but he thought it actually started with a H.  
“Track 7, Out in the Cold, is pretty close, though,” he added.  
Perfectly manicured fingers grasped Matt’s shoulder and he turned to look into the emerald eyes of his brother.  
“Excuse us, Miss Sinclair,” Zach said. “I have to take my brother home before he gets me fired.”  
Suddenly the twinge stopped and the faulty memory became clear, like a Mack truck hitting him from behind.  
“Holy crap! You’re Kelsey Sinclair!”  
“Yeah, I know,” she said with a laugh. “Who’d you think I was?”  
“I… I don’t know. I didn’t recognize you because…” He caught himself from finishing the sentence. He knew he was a screw up but sometimes he wasn’t a complete jackass.  
“Because why?” she asked through a stern look.  
Someone holding a clipboard walked up behind Kelsey and smiled as she tapped the actress on her shoulder. “Miss Sinclair, we think Ryan is ready to go now.”  
Kelsey turned and nodded to the assistant then looked back at Matt. “We are not done, Matty. You, brother. Keep. Him. Here.” She pointed hard at the ground with each word, forcing her point across.  
Kelsey followed the assistant across the soundstage, looking back at Matt’s stunned face before handing the robe to the assistant so she could continue shooting the music video.  
“What was that about?” Zach asked. “You hate being called ‘Matty.’”  
“Shut up and get me out of here,” Matt said, still unable to move.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who the video was for,” Zach said for the third time. “I didn’t even know until we got here. If I knew it was Severed Silver, I would have brought you in before we got distracted.”  
“It’s fine, Zee,” Matt said. “It does make sense now that she’s had heard Chains without listening to the album. The band isn’t even here so it isn’t a big deal. Just Kels and…” He was caught off by someone yelling.  
“Jesus Christ, Derrick!” the director, Ryan Freeman, screamed at the actor he hired to be Kelsey’s love interest for the video. “You brainless hack! Get off my set!”  
Derrick began to cry on the set before hiding his face behind his hands and running away.  
“Go tell your mommy that you’re a waste of a human being!” Ryan yelled, throwing his paper coffee cup after the sobbing man. He grabbed a clipboard from his assistant and threw it across the soundstage before he stormed off.  
“Dude, Em,” Zach said in shock. “I think he was seriously crying.”  
“Holy crap, this director is crazy. I can’t believe anybody works with him.”  
“Yeah, me either,” a new voice said.  
The Grayson brothers turned and saw Kelsey standing there, shivering in her soaked clothing and staring towards the direction Ryan had stormed off. Her arms were wrapped around her chest as she tried to rub some warmth back into her cold limbs.  
“Because why?” she asked Matt with a smile.  
Matt cleared his throat, ignoring her question. “Why are you working with this nut job, Kels?”  
“Ethan was told he’s a visionary,” she responded, throwing her hands in the air. “The band shot their scenes on Thursday and Friday and liked what he did. Because why?”  
“Ethan? As in Ethan Graham? The lead singer of Severed Silver?” Matt asked in amazement.  
“Yeah. Because why?”  
“Do you know Ethan, like, personally?”  
“Yeah, I went to school with Rachel. Because why?  
“His wife, Rachel Diaz-Graham?”  
Kelsey laughed at him. “Yes, the bassist for the band. We’ve been friends since junior high, I think, maybe longer. Because why?”  
“You aren’t going to let that go, are you?”  
“Nope,” she responded, smiling at him.  
“I’m back!” Ryan announced. “We have to find a new male lead for this thing and then reshoot everything we’ve already shot.”  
“Right here,” Kelsey said, pointing at Matt.  
Matt’s body went stiff and his eyes wide as Ryan looked him up and down.  
“No,” was the director’s response.  
The friendly and happy girl Matt had met suddenly left. Kelsey’s eyes grew fierce and her eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was your music video. I guess I can call Rachel and find out what she thinks of my idea.”  
“Uh… It…”  
“If you want me to stay, which I know Rachel wants, then this is the man I want. Are we clear?”  
“Yes,” Ryan said in whisper, the blood rushing from his face.  
“So, Matty is going to be in the video and I don’t have to call the band to complain about you, right?”  
“Correct, Miss Sinclair. Someone please get him to wardrobe.”  
“I’ll see you in a few,” Kelsey said with a smile.  
Matt stood frozen.  
“Zee, what just happened?” Matt asked.  
Before Zach could say anything, two assistants were dragging him away from his brother. Zach just shrugged his shoulders and waved.

“Can I ask you something?” Matt whispered as they were setting up for the last shot of the day. Matt had to correct himself, he had been trapped inside so long that it was probably evening, now. He had been positioned specifically and did his best to stand still as not to ruin the shot.  
“Because why?”  
“Seriously, Kels?”  
“Fine. For now,” she said, throwing up a stern finger.  
“I kind of understand the mushy, lovey dovey crap for breaking the chains off a bad relationship but-.”  
“Crap?” she asked, looking hurt.  
“Sorry. The concept of the video. I understand the concept of the video.”  
“What don’t you understand, Matty?” she asked with a giggle.  
“Why did I have to change my clothes?”  
Before he had been whisked away, he was wearing a white tee shirt with jean shorts and tennis shoes. When he walked out of the wardrobe trailer, he was wearing an almost identical white shirt, olive colored cargo pants with more pockets than anyone would ever need, and fake Converse.  
Kelsey shrugged her shoulders. “I have no clue, to tell you honestly.” She tugged on the sparkled purple shirt under her robe, “I hate this crap and I have to do it all the time. I’d rather wear my own clothes right now instead of this stuff. It’s better for the camera, I guess. Honestly, I don’t know, Matty.”  
Assistants came up and took Kelsey’s robe while Matt just stood there, still stunned by the fact he was in a music video for his favorite band.  
“Ok,” Ryan yelled, “begin playback. Cue storm. And… ACTION!”  
Simulated thunder was cracking somewhere close behind Matt, making it difficult for him to hear the song. Through the fake torrential downpour and flashing lights, he could barely make out the blurry vision of Kelsey standing there, reaching out for him. As her fingers began to uncurl, his arm slowly reached out to grab them, their hands curling back together. Matt felt heat in his fingertips, flowing down his palm and down Kelsey’s hand.  
Then it all stopped.  
“That was perfect!” Ryan shouted. “That is a wrap for Chains!”  
“Thank goodness,” Kelsey exclaimed, quickly taking the robe from one of the assistants and wrapping it tightly around her.  
Matt took the robe he was offered and just wiped the water off his face, ran it through his hair then handed it back to the assistant. The girl seemed slightly confused as to what to do with it, looked around to find an answer, then carried it back to the rack.  
“I can’t believe you’re not cold.”  
Matt stopped, he hadn’t noticed Kelsey walk up beside him.  
“Oh, this is nothing more than a typical day back home.”  
“Are you going to be taking off now?” she asked as they began walking towards the trailers.  
“Yeah, I think I have some barnacles to remove from my butt. Besides, I promised my cousins we’d spend the day together, and now, the day is gone. I’m hoping they’re not too angry with me.”  
“Oh, ok. Well, how about I give you my number and you can text me sometime? I can put it in your phone for you. Where’s your cell?”  
“I think it’s in my backpack at home.”  
Kelsey gave him a quizzical look. “You don’t carry it with you?”  
Matt bit his lip and looked down at his feet, “Not all of the time. Not anymore.”  
Kelsey heard the pain in his voice and saw how the subject affected him. “Why don’t you carry it with you?”  
“For reasons so pitiful, I’d rather not talk about them.”  
“Hang on,” she said. She ran up the steps of a trailer and returned with her cell phone in her hand. “Then give me your number.”  
“Um, sure, I guess. Hey, Zee!”  
Matt looked and saw his brother in the twilight, leaning against his silver BMW with a cell phone pressed to his ear. His designer suit jacket was inside the car and he was working on loosening his tie when Matt yelled at him. He quickly hung up the phone and shoved it into his pants pocket.  
“Stop talking to your boyfriend and get over here.”  
Zach slowly walked over to his brother, trying not hide his anger.  
“Greg is not my boyfriend, you little prick.”  
“Kels wants my number and I can’t remember it. Give it to her, please?”  
“Oh, oh, oh!” Zach exclaimed. “Mr. Always Prepared still doesn’t know his own phone number. Has the number for two months and can’t remember it?”  
Kelsey looked at both men, a touch of fear in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if at any moment they would start throwing punches or just continue their verbal joust.  
“You know what? I was prepared to be here for thirty minutes then go meet Lele and Keke for some beach time, like we do every year. I was not, however, prepared to be here for almost 10 hours, have barnacles on my butt, and a beautiful woman wanting my phone number.”  
“Awww,” Kelsey cooed, embarrassed by Matt’s comments. The fact he still felt she was beautiful after being tormented all day with a rude director and fake storms made it all worth it.  
“Just give her the number while I go change. You ass.”  
Matt stormed off to the trailer and threw open the door.  
“Hey, Matty!” Kelsey called after him, making him stop on the metal steps. “Because why?”  
His head dropped. “Dammit.”

“Don’t be like that, brah,” Kekoa said, playfully shoving his younger and much smaller cousin. “Ya gotta give us something.”  
The large Hawaiian was standing in his sister’s kitchen, tormenting Matt as the younger man picked grapes from the fruit bowl and tossed them into his mouth. Kekoa’s sister, Leilani, was busy moving around the kitchen as she prepared dinner, almost oblivious to the presence of the other people in the room.  
“Like what, Keke?” Matt asked as he threw another grape into his mouth. “I didn’t even know who she was until jerk wad said her last name. Next thing I knew, we were holding hands in that fake rain and I could barely see anything.”  
“Nah,” Leilani said, pulling carrots out of the refrigerator while grabbing a knife from the counter. “There’s got to be more than that. A celebrity like Kelsey Sinclair doesn’t just pick some lolo off the street to star in a music video with her.”  
“Now I’m just some lolo?” Matt asked, making it sound as if he wasn’t really asking.  
Leilani smacked Matt in the back of the head with her perfectly tanned hand. “You know what I mean, Em.”  
Leilani and her younger brother, Kekoa, were born in Pearl City, Hawaii to two hard working yet playful parents. Leilani married and moved to the mainland. When their parents passed away, Kekoa brought his wife with him to L.A. so he could work as security in his brother-in-law’s club while his wife taught high school.  
“Seriously, how could you not know who she was?” Kekoa asked. “I haven’t seen any of her movies but I still know who she is. The tabloids talk about her a lot.”  
“She’s come into the club a few times, so I know who she is,” Leilani said. “But Em hasn’t had time to go to the movies in a while. You’re always so busy and the bitch wouldn’t let you see anything you might have liked.”  
“I thought we weren’t going to mention her anymore,” someone said as a door creaked open then slowly closed.  
Henry Kent walked into the kitchen from his private office, bags under his eyes and wearing his UCLA Bruins gym clothes.  
“Don’t you have your own home, Kekoa?” he asked his jumbo brother-in-law, trying to maneuver around the large man to get to his wife. “Why are you always eating my food?”  
“Io’s got finals this week. It’s better if I stay out of her way.”  
“And I wasn’t going to let my baby brother starve,” Leilani said, smiling at Kekoa.  
Matt began to laugh, quickly grabbing the counter before he fell off of the barstool.  
“I’ll eat you, little man,” Kekoa threatened.  
“Anyway, Matthew! How are you, honey?” Leilani kissed her husband before he took a deep smell of the dinner she was preparing.  
“I’m exhausted, love. Running this club is so tiring.”  
“Then why are you doing it?” Matt asked, popping another grape into his mouth.  
“Oh, it’s also a lot of fun, Matt. I enjoy the business and the challenges.” Henry looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Zach? Wasn’t today beach day?”  
“He had to go home and change,” Leilani said. “But we didn’t go to the beach. Em had a very interesting day, though.”  
“Oh yeah? What happened, Matt?”  
Matt’s face went red and he just stared down at his feet.  
“Em went with Zee to talk to a client on a video shoot,” Leilani said. “Turns out it was the shoot for the new Severed Silver song.”  
“Wow, really? That’s awesome. Did you get to meet the band?”  
“No,” Matt replied, sadly. “They weren’t there.”  
“He met Kelsey Sinclair,” Leilani said.  
“The actress?”  
Matt nodded his head.  
“She got Em’s digits,” Kekoa added. “Said she’d text him.”  
“Has she texted you?” Henry asked.  
“Umm… I haven’t checked.”  
Henry rolled his eyes. “Leilani and I paid all that money to get you a new phone and number, an iPhone isn’t cheap, and when one of the biggest young actresses on the planet says she’s going to text you, the first thing you do when you get home isn’t to check your phone?”  
Matt started to say something but Henry held up his hand.  
“We know you appreciate it, we’ve all had tough times dealing with women but-”  
“Hey!” Leilani said, smacking her husband in the arm.  
“Ow,” Henry said, rubbing his shoulder. “Sorry, Lele. Just go check your phone.”  
“See,” Leilani said as Matt walked out the backdoor, “sometimes he is just a lolo.”  
Matt walked around the pool and through the back gate. He stopped at the white door to his small apartment and took a deep breath.  
The front door opened to the dining area, which was in front of a small group of cabinets, sink, dishwasher, and a refrigerator. To the left was the door leading to his bedroom, and then to the bathroom. To the right was his simple living room, just big enough for a loveseat and recliner. On the wall was a 40” flat screen television with his X-Box hooked to it. Almost everything had been provided to him from his family since he had gone through a rough break up.  
On a hook behind the front door was his backpack. In the front pouch was his black iPhone, and when he pushed the Home button, the screen lit up to show he had eight unread messages.  
He began to read them as he walked out of the apartment.  
Two were from his mother.  
Hi, sweetie. Enjoy your day at the beach. Dad and I love you.  
Your Dad says he hopes you and Zach get eaten by a shark. Love you.  
Two from his best friend, Olivia.  
I got a long term subbing position next year!  
Carry your phone, butthead!  
One from Kekoa.  
Where the heck are you guys?  
Since that was the only one, Matt thought Zach must have answered him.  
One from a number he recognized but didn’t have programmed into the phone. He hated the fact that this person even had his new number but Zach had convinced him to take action against him and his new girlfriend.  
Final bill for internet and electric have been paid. Will mail proof tomorrow.  
“Fucker,” Matt whispered under his breath.  
The last was from a number he didn’t recognize but as soon as he read the message, he knew who had sent it. He smiled.  
Because why?  
“Em!”  
Zach was walking up the driveway, wearing board shorts and a tee shirt, looking more relaxed and comfortable, as if he had never worn a suit in his life.  
“What are you doing?” the elder Grayson asked.  
Matt made his way through the backyard with a smile on his face. “Reading text messages. Did you know that Dad wanted us to get eaten by a shark?”  
“Eh, sounds about right. What’s for dinner?”

Kelsey kept fidgeting with her phone, making sure it was on silent but set to vibrate when a text came in. Her heart was racing and she tried to remember the last time she had been this nervous to receive a text message.  
“Are you ok, Miss Sinclair?” the journalist across from her asked.  
There were three journalists to interview her and a couple of photographers to take a few pictures afterwards. Kelsey didn’t know which magazines they were from. Anna, her manager, had arranged this to be a quick round of interviews so Kelsey could take some time off before she had to fly off to her next movie. She had only been back in the States since Friday night and just wanted to spend some time doing nothing. She had promised Rachel she’d do the music video, which was only difficult until Matt started working with her. After she met him, she actually had fun shooting it. But now, all she wanted more than anything was to sleep.  
“Hi, sorry,” Kelsey said, finally snapping back to reality and the interviewer. “I’m just a little tired. Doing all of the publicity for Hills of Heaven was amazing but it wore me out. I’m glad to be home.”  
“Of course, that’s understandable. I’d like to ask you about the reports of your behavior on the set of your last movie, Hidden Loves. The reports of you throwing fits over script rewrites and the director wanting to shorten your screen time due to your argumentative behavior.”  
They always bring that up, she thought to herself. “Those reports were exaggerated and misunderstood. I had no problem with the rewrites as a whole, however a couple of them did bother me but we worked those out on set. I didn’t throw a tantrum when Danny Levine wanted to take me out of a few scenes, all I did was question his decision. Ultimately, it worked and the movie did pretty well in theaters.”  
“Thank you for clarifying that for us. Now, I understand you shot some scenes for a music video today for your friend, Rachel Diaz-Graham of the band Severed Silver. How was that?”  
“It was extremely fun. I mean, I wish the band would have been there because I’m a huge fan. Rachel and I have been friends for so long that it would have been great to spend time with her but it was still a fun experience.”  
“Is it because you got to work with the great video director, Ryan Freeman, and his nephew, Derrick?”  
Kelsey had to bite her tongue. Apparently, it was a well-kept secret in the music industry that Ryan was almost impossible to work with because of the giant ego he had developed after being called a visionary once. Derrick had only been hired because he was Ryan’s nephew. Derrick was good looking, Kelsey had to admit, but not all of the cogs in his head rotated together. Part of her wanted to reveal the truth to the world but, ultimately, she knew better. With all of the drama already surrounding her, she didn’t need to suffer through more of it with the backlash it would cause.  
“Actually, Derrick and I didn’t work together. He and I didn’t click for some reason so someone else was brought in to work with me. His name was Matt and we worked great together. He was the reason the shoot was so much fun. And he’s a big fan of Severed Silver, too.”  
Kelsey felt the heat in her cheeks and prayed that the lights and make-up hid her blushing.  
“That wouldn’t be your former boyfriend, Matt Brown, would it? Are you two rekindling your love?”  
“Oh, no way. This was Matt Grayson, the brother of one of my agencies lawyers who happened to be on set today. We got to talking about our favorite band over our favorite sandwich and when Derrick didn’t work, he stepped in. He was perfect.”  
In her head, she wasn’t sure if she over-emphasized the word perfect. He was perfect for the part but he was also just… perfect in general. Maybe too perfect?  
“Could there be something between you and Mr. Grayson, perhaps?”  
Kelsey fought the urge to roll her eyes. “No. I mean, we’re friends but there isn’t anything beyond that.” There’s no scandalous story, you ignorant gargoyle.  
Her pocket began to vibrate and her cheeks went flush again as she excused herself to get her phone out.  
Still nothing, Kels.  
“After the huge success of Hills of Heaven, what’s next for you?” the interviewer asked.  
Kelsey stared at the man, deep in thought. The interviewer thought she was thinking deeply about the question but Kelsey was contemplating how to respond to Matt’s text. She hadn’t realized he had been calling her “Kels” this whole time until he had typed it out in the text message. It was a nickname she didn’t like growing up but it sounded… perfect coming from Matt.  
Doing interviews, she typed. Stay with me?  
I guess I can spare some time for you.  
Now she thought about the question. It didn’t take long to answer; she had known what she was going to say as soon as she woke up so early this morning. “Honestly, I am taking a break. It is time to relax and reenergize myself.”  
Her insides were giddy, like a schoolgirl meeting the dreamboat singer of a boy band, when her phone vibrated.  
Ugh, this guy is so annoying, she typed.  
Do they all ask the same questions? Matt responded.  
Matt was sitting on his couch, holding a worn copy of The Odyssey. He had read the book more times than he could count but it was there to pass the short amount of time between text messages.  
If I said because why, would that answer your question?  
Sounds boring. I think I’d lose my mind.  
It can be fun, sometimes. He’s asking questions about you. What should I say?  
Matt chuckled to himself. Tell them I’m a costumed vigilante who wears his underwear over his pants, roaming the mean streets of Pasadena defending the rights of seagulls and pigeons.  
Kelsey snorted, making the interviewer stop mid sentence. Seriously, Matty? she typed as she apologized to the man.  
Matt thought about it for a minute then smiled. I’m your new Latin lover, waiting patiently for you in your bed with a giant, white tiger lying on rose petals.  
Kelsey pictured it and smiled. That’s better except I’m allergic to roses. Oh, and you’re not Latin.  
Then don’t tell them anything. I know you’re a celebrity but I’d like to keep my privacy.  
No problem. He thinks I’m texting my Mom right now. Had to lie so I could save some part of my sanity.  
What’s the magazine?  
Kelsey stopped talking and stared into the man’s eyes. I honestly don’t remember. I don’t even remember this guy’s name and he’s interviewed me a few times.  
You must be really tired, Kels.  
Yeah, I am. What are you doing?  
Reading.  
What book, nerd?  
The Odyssey.  
Wow. Are you reading that for fun or is it for school?  
For fun, I love the story. Do you have a favorite book?  
Not really, I guess.  
Really?  
Ok, yes I do but you’ll think it’s dumb because it’s girly.  
I know I just met you today, Kels, but I have a strong feeling that you might be a girl.  
Oh, shut up. It’s Romeo & Juliet.  
How is that girly? Fights. Assassinations. Betrayal. Suicide. It’s like a mafia story that ends when two teenagers kill themselves after being in love for a few days. That’s kind of cool.  
LOL. I never thought about it that way. It’s just a tragic love story.  
As Matt was preparing to respond, another text message came in.  
First interview done and it was a lot less painful than I thought it would be. BRB

Matt put The Odyssey down, finally giving up on trying to read it. He stood up and stretched his legs, realizing that he had been sitting there for over two hours texting Kelsey and attempting to read. She said she was starting her last interview so he decided to walk around to get his blood flowing again. It surprised him to be having a text conversation like this, but he never had a friend like Kelsey before. He was experiencing something he hadn’t felt in a long time; he was having fun.  
His phone vibrated and he walked back to the couch to pick it up.  
I think this guy dropped his pen to look up my skirt.  
That’s really gross and disturbing. Does stuff like that happen often?  
More than I’d like to admit & isn’t only the guys that do it.  
I think you should accidentally kick him in the shins.  
I wish I could but I have to be professional. My manager caught it, told him he has five minutes left.  
Sweet. Is he asking the same types of questions as the first two?  
Actually, he jumped right into questions about you. All they want is the juicy gossip and not a solid story.  
It’s what sells magazines or whatever. That’s a horrible excuse for you to ask me questions, by the way.  
Well, he is trying to get more information about you out of me after I’ve told him to stop. But now he’s asking the same, boring questions.  
What would you like to know about me, Kels?  
What do you do for a job?  
I’m a registered nurse.  
That’s really cool. How is it?  
It’s hard and sometimes it moves faster than I would like but I enjoy it. Now it’s my turn to ask questions. What would you be doing if you weren’t a diva?  
I would be getting my teaching credential so I can teach either 4th or 5th grade, I think. And I am not a diva.  
Sorry. No, no you’re not a diva. A teacher? Really?  
Yeah. My Mom teaches high school English and she’s really happy. I love working with kids so I figured 4th or 5th grade would be a good age range to teach. And they’re not little shitheads that’ll keep talking back.  
Then how’d you become an actress?  
Dad was a theater actor then became a talent scout. He never pushed me to act but I loved being in plays & the theater when I was growing up, both on the stage & behind the scenes. When he died, Mom said that if I wanted to pursue acting, then I should. I got a contract, starred in my first movie at the age of 16, then became a diva, apparently.  
Sorry, you’re not a diva. You’re actually a lot cooler than I thought a Hollywood actress would be.  
Thanks, I think. OMG this guy is so annoying & creepy. You know what my parents do, what about yours?  
Dad was a mechanic in the Air Force when he met my Mom. They got married & he retired, moving to work in the family vineyard. After my grandpa passed away, he & my uncle ran the vineyard & the neighboring orchard. They sold the business about 5 years ago, though my Dad still helps out when asked. Mom is a baker for the local coffee shop & grocery store. Makes the best apple pies EVER. I’m surprised Zach & I aren’t fat.  
I wish I would have known that sooner, I could have told the interviewers.  
If you did, you would have been signing my death warrant.  
OMG! He just tried to look down my shirt!  
Kick him, Kels!  
Several minutes go by without a response.  
I can’t. But he’s done & banned from interviewing me again. Thank God!  
That’s awesome. What’s next?  
Picture time. I’ll text you when I’m done. Stay up? Please? Matt yawned and rubbed his eyes. Sure, have fun.  
He set his phone down and picked up The Odyssey.

Matt let the book slip from his fingers as he passed the dining table. It was almost 3am and he hadn’t heard back from Kelsey so he stopped waiting and decided it was time for bed. Not that this was the first time he had lost track of time reading, but it was the first time he couldn’t remember what he had read. After texting Kelsey for most of the night, she was all he could think about and none of Odysseus’s troubles stuck in his mind.  
After tossing his phone onto his pillow, he stood there and stared down at the blue and gray sheets, wondering if he should pull them back before he climbed into bed. It didn’t take long before he simply fell face down into the bed, his feet dangling over the edge, the breeze making his toes curl. Trying to find the energy, he dragged himself up to the pillow and let his body collapse. Then his pillow vibrated.  
The brightness of the phone was nearly blinding but he read the message, anyway. Sorry I didn’t text sooner. I wanted to get home and into bed as quick as possible. Still up?  
“Ugh,” he mumbled to himself as he rolled over so he could respond. You did ask me to stay up.  
You’ll do that but won’t answer my other question?  
Which question? I’ve answered all of your questions.  
Because why?  
Oh, that. Good night, then. He let his arms drop to the bed and he laid there, staring at the ceiling, feeling sleep creeping up his fingers and toes, telling his eyes to close.  
The phone vibrated.  
Matt looked at a picture of Kelsey, lying in her bed wearing a pink tank top with spaghetti straps and her hair in a ponytail with pouty lips. She had no makeup on and he was surprised how beautiful she was without it, how much it changed her appearance. Matt kept staring at the photo, his eyes being drawn to hers. The sadness in them broke his heart.  
I’m still here, he finally replied.  
Did I scare you awake?  
Not at all.  
Then you’re just that nice?  
Nope. I’m actually kind of a jerk.  
No you’re not. Why’d you stay up?  
You asked me to, Kels, and I hate disappointing beautiful women.  
I’m not beautiful right now. And if you show that picture to anyone, I will sue your ass.  
That is the most beautiful picture I’ve ever seen.  
Several minutes went by and Matt hadn’t received a reply. He felt the message had been a little cheesy but he sent it anyway. Fear began to well up in his stomach, making him think he had just destroyed whatever friendship they had started to build.  
His phone vibrated.  
It was another photo, this time Kelsey was smiling and her blue eyes were sparkling in the dim light. That was so sweet, Matty. Thank you.  
You’re welcome, was all he could think to respond with.  
Definitely talk to you tomorrow. Good night.  
Good night.  
Kelsey smiled as she pulled the blankets over her shoulder and nestled into her purple pillows.  
Matt set the phone down then laid his head on the pillow. Before he could think about getting underneath the sheets, he was asleep with a smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Did it make sense with just the single chapter?  
> Did I over explain things?  
> Are the characters interesting enough for me to keep going or should I alter them in some way?  
> Thank you for reading my work


End file.
